Acoustic telemetry

Speckled trout used in this project were implanted with acoustic transmitters in their gut cavity. The transmitters emitted ultrasonic pings that relayed the unique tag number and the current water temperature around the fish. If the fish with the tag was within approximately a ½ mile of a receiver, this information would be stored on the receiver along with the date and time of the ping. The resulting information allows scientist to piece together the movements of each fish. One of the main drawbacks of this technology is the lack of information when a fish is not within listening distance of receiver. It is important to remember the maps associated with this project only show fish positions where receivers are located. Speckled trout can be found throughout the Corrotoman and Lynnhaven Rivers, as well as many other locations around Chesapeake Bay. The information from this study should not be used for exact fishing locations, but more as a tool explaining the movement trends of speckled trout (i.e. movements upriver or downriver).